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THE International Trade Centre (ITC) has urged women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa to expand their business opportunities by leveraging on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
AfCFTA, which seeks to promote intra-African trade in a market population of about 1,3 billion, was operationalised on January 1 this year. ITC is a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations. It assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aide-for-Trade agenda, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“The event’s discussions promoted ownership of the agreement among the region’s participants as well as engaging women and youth-owned small firms in seeking out the potential business gains the AfCFTA can offer,” said ITC in a statement after a webinar forum in Harare on Tuesday.
Organised in collaboration with the Organisation of Women in International Trade (OWIT) in Zimbabwe, the high-level trade forum is part of ITC’s One Trade Africa programme – AfCFTA dialogue forums. The event was held under the theme, “Trade Beyond Covid-19:
Demystifying the AfCFTA for Zimbabwe/Southern Africa Women-led MSMEs”. In light of the Covid-19 situation, ITC highlighted the rise of existing gender inequalities, affecting women’s access to resources and equitable economic opportunities.
“It is a well-known fact that women’s empowerment creates ripple effects that boost growth and make countries more competitive internationally and also improve other complementary factors, such as health and education,” ITC deputy executive director, Ms Dorothy Tembo, was quoted as saying.
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